Two Souls
by Kindlehope
Summary: Yuto's perspective. This fanfic gives him a voice past epi 36: His feelings, thoughts, and his struggle to recover while resting inside Yuya. Adds depth to Yuto's feelings and experiences inside Yuya. Clips of certain episodes from his perspective will be in future chapters. First chapter: Yuto sacrificing himself to save Yuya, his perspective as they converse and he dies.
1. Duels with Smiles

"Clear Wing Synchro Dragon! Attack Dark Rebellion XYZ Dragon!"

My mind whirred as the Pawn of Fusion launched his attack. Clear Wing reared its head as its wings brightly gleamed a pale green. I was going to lose the duel.

"Hell Dive Whirlwind Slasher!"

Dark Rebellion would take the brunt of this attack, and my remaining life points would deplete. Had I completed my last move, I could have won—but Yuya interfered.

Yuya.

I lifted my head from my kneeling position to see him still standing in front of me. Protecting me? But as Yuya had said, Yugo and I created real shockwaves as we dueled, and Yugo's attack was heading straight for us. With Yugo's glowing eyes and immense power, I didn't doubt the possibility of the blow passing even Dark Rebellion and colliding with Yuya and me.

In those moments, I remembered my conversation with Yuya.

" _Dueling is not a tool for conflicts! And even less so for invading… The dueling that I believe in…is entertainment to make people happy and to put smiles on their faces!"_

Yuya had then spoke of how his father united everyone with his dueling. Yuya confessed that he had felt like he was drawing nearer to that same goal.

" _To think that dueling is being used as a tool to hurt people… I won't forgive it!"_

Yuya had fiercely defended his belief toward dueling: that duels should be filled with smiles and fun. Smiles. I reflected on my happier days, before Academia invaded Heartland. I had dueled for fun once, like Yuya. Even Shun, as serious and merciless as he was now, had once dueled for fun with a smile on his face. But then Academia attacked, and dueling was turned into a weapon. A tool for conflicts, as Yuya had said.

I had been crafted into a warrior at a young age. I had to; the only other option was to perish, so I grew strong. As a member of the Resistance, I had fought for myself, my friends, and the weak and unprotected. I fought on behalf of the innocent—all XYZ users and citizens. I steeled myself in the midst of war, and my smiles and laughter had grown rare. In growing strong, they had vanished.

Every day I had walked the streets and picked up cards with human faces on them—cards that now held trapped souls. Souls that I in no way knew how to revive. I would pick up the cards that I came across, hoping I could someday find a way to bring back the captured. And I saw other cards be swept by the wind into the encroaching flames, crumbling to ash and lost forever.

But amidst all that anguish, I had thought of when my smiles were abundant. Thinking of Heartland before the invasion gave me hope and helped me press on. It was my strength. When things seemed hopeless, I fought on, hoping to one day rebuild Heartland and its smiling faces.

Yuya had stirred warmth in my heart as he defended the dueling he believed in. I believed in that dueling too, only I was unable to perform it amidst the war. Hearing Yuya defend entertainment dueling… It felt like I was listening to what I would have said myself before the invasion. I had shared his view of fun and happy dueling. I was surprised by how easily and strongly Yuya had touched my heart.

The dimensions needed someone who could touch hearts. Someone who could touch the hearts of the people in all the dimensions. Someone who was motivated himself to end the war and make dueling fun again. That person was Yuya, and the dimensions needed him more than me.

I felt a sudden burst of strength in my limbs, and I raced toward Yuya. My heart raced too. My basic instinct screamed at me to run the other way, but I had developed other instincts: an instinct to protect the innocent, protect those close to me, and fight for those who couldn't fight for themselves. I screamed Yuya's name, knocking into him and shoving him away from the oncoming blast as Dark Rebellion was destroyed and the attack flowed toward us. Yuya fell against the grass away from me a heartbeat before the blast made contact and flung me across the park.

I hit the ground hard and lay stunned on my back, my head resting against the grass. I heard my life points chime at zero. I heard Yuya screaming my name. I heard him running toward me, felt him kneel beside me and ask if I was alright as he placed his hands on my chest and shoulder. I couldn't move, and my skin felt like it was on fire as my limbs ached. But I noticed Yuya's touch and felt as though I would smile if I could.

Several seconds later, I winced and opened my eyes to see that Yuya and I were enveloped by a crystal blue light.

"Yuto!" Yuya wrapped an arm around my back and lifted me from the ground. "Stay with me!" he pleaded. "Are you okay?!"

I could see the Dark Rebellion XYZ Dragon card I still held in my hand shining with the same crystal blue light. I tipped my head toward Yuya, meeting his crimson gaze. As I saw the concern in his eyes, my pained expression softened into a soft smile. Yuya hardly knew me, and yet he was already so caring toward me.

I lifted my right hand to extend the Dark Rebellion card toward him. I managed a small phrase. "Duels with…smiles…"

"Huh?" Yuya glanced toward my hand, then back at me. He looked confused, alarmed, and sad all at the same time.

"With your power…give it to the world…and everyone's futures," I stated. I couldn't speak well. Every word racked my body with pain and starved me of breath. I prayed that Yuya could understand my desire through my broken phrases. I stared into his eyes and added one word. "Smiles." It was the reason I admired Yuya. He had stirred a smile within me too, and so effortlessly. I was sure he could do the same to others.

"With my power?" Yuya echoed, clearly oblivious to the strength I saw in him.

Entrusting Dark Rebellion to Yuya was all I could do for now. I had taken a direct blast from a strong opposing monster as real as, if not more than, Standard's solid vision. I could feel my body giving in as each second passed, my breaths becoming more ragged and less frequent. I realized then that I wasn't going to survive.

Dark Rebellion could assist Yuya. I wasn't sure how, but I was sure Yuya would be thrown into the interdimensional war himself. And he needed to survive.

I merely nodded to Yuya, my smile a bit bigger in hopes that it could convince him. I had one second to try and express my feelings toward him through our eye contact. Then a searing pain tore through my heart like a blade piercing my skin. I gasped at the flash of pain. As I too was overtaken by the blue light, I saw a panicked expression cross Yuya's face. Then my eyesight faded to white.

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 _This will be an ongoing fanfic in Yuto's point of view. He survives within Yuya, and coming chapters will show parts of episodes from his perspective as well as showing his own feelings and his struggle to regain his strength in Yuya's heart. I always wonder how the show is in other character's perspectives. I want Yuto to have a voice as well-and I'm creating that voice for him in this fanfic. **Please review! I love you guys!**_

 **Shameless advertising!** I have a Arc-V blog on tumblr (with some things from the other installments, but mostly Arc-V) and my name is the-10th-lancer. Follow me and I'll probably follow you back. :)


	2. Through His Eyes

**Thank you all so much for your support and your sweet reviews! This is a shoutout to all those guest viewers that I have following and reviewing this story-thank you all as well! :) All of you readers totally make my day with your views and reviews!**

 **Warning: semi-long chapter ahead. Sorry guys! Not much happens, but this chapter was necessary for what I want to do next.**

 **This is all based on the plot of the show with no changes, so who has a guess as to what the following "low voice" is? :)**

 **Do I have any Kingdom Hearts fans in the audience? Because I'm one, and it kind of influenced this chapter. You'll get exactly what that "platform" is when I describe it.**

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A shudder ran down my limbs, and I gasped for breath, quickly opening my eyes. My heart seemed to spring to life, suddenly racing, as though it hadn't beat for a while. It felt like I had been shocked to life.

Before moving, I tried to analyze things, but there was only darkness surrounding me. Black sky, a black floor, and no visible features of anything anywhere. The only color was a purple fog churning around my ankles and stretching as far as I could see.

Despite the ache in my arms and legs, I slowly rose to my feet. My body burned, but I didn't have any damage on me as far as I could tell. My head spun, and I fought to remain standing. Once the wave of dizziness had retreated, I looked all around me as I recalled what had happened to me.

Stunned, I painfully remembered sacrificing myself for Yuya. I remembered the Pawn of Fusion's attack crashing into me. I remembered Yuya gently lifting me from the ground and the conversation we had. And I remembered the pain stabbing my heart… I was certain I had died. Where was I now? Was this…hell?

I had nothing to do, so I began walking in the direction I was facing. I was uncertain of where it lead, if it lead anywhere at all. I walked for what seemed an hour. But I had no way of tracking time. Where was I, really? Surely I wasn't the only one here.

As if to answer my question, I heard a distant growl from somewhere behind me. I whirled around, flicking my gaze left and right. The growl didn't sound very nearby, but a low voice seemed to fill the sky around me.

" _Another one for me to consume_."

My heart pounded. What was this thing? I saw nothing. I glanced down at my left arm. My Duel Disk wasn't there. I doubted I could fend it off physically. I needed to flee.

I then heard a pleasant ringing noise behind me, like a string of chimes in a breeze. I turned back to the way I had been walking. A rift of light slowly opened in the darkness, like a tall, thin doorway. It didn't seem too far off. I didn't know what it was, but I was sure it was better than being here in the darkness with that _thing_.

Without much hesitation, I raced toward the door of light and charged through.

I was so unexpecting of the change of ground underfoot that when I crossed to the other side of the light, I stumbled and fell, catching myself with a hand and a knee. I eyed the area under my feet, in awe of the beauty underneath me.

I was kneeling on a large circular platform, maybe as long across the middle as the width of a football field. Its surface was made of stained glass. Shards of red, green, and light orange glass were scattered across the platform in close proximity. There were also pieces of a crystalline sky blue amongst the rest. It was breathtaking... The colors were vivid and glinted with light.

I looked to the sky to see that here, there actually was one. All around the platform was an indigo canvas dappled with gleaming white stars.

Was this a real sky? And where was I now?

I got to my feet and looked over my shoulder I was nearly halfway to the center of the platform, from what I could tell. I then looked back ahead toward the center. My heart sank as I caught sight of a familiar figure lying in the center, not moving.

 _Yuya!_

I tore toward him, ignoring my body's protests as the movement reminded me of my injuries. I finally reached Yuya, breathless, and slid into a kneel beside him to stop myself.

He was lying on his stomach with his head tipped to one side. His eyes were closed, but he was breathing. I rolled him onto his back and lifted his back off the ground to hold him, shaking him gently.

"Yuya. Yuya!" I called. _You can't be unconscious too!_ I thought. _I saved you—why are you here too?!_ "Wake up, Yuya!"

A few seconds passed, in which I shook him again and held his jaw in one hand. Then his face twitched. He winced, pained expression crossing his brow. It softened as he opened his crimson eyes, gazing up at me.

His eyesight must have focused as I removed my hand from his face, because his eyes widened in surprise. "Yuto! What's going on? Are you okay?"

"I…I guess so." It was odd to look down at Yuya, holding him. Our earlier roles when I had died were now reserved. _Am I even dead?_ I wondered.

Yuya sat up, clearly not weak or in pain. I withdrew my hands and just stared at him, confused by all of this.

"Where are we?" he asked.

"I don't know," I replied. "Are you alright?"

Yuya frowned. "I…I fell unconscious in the park. But I'm not in pain. What about you?"

"I'm okay," I lied. _Just hurt and really confused._

"Wait!" Remembrance dawned on Yuya's face. "You…you took that attack for me! I thought you had been transported back to the XYZ dimension… How are you here? Where _is_ here?"

I wanted to answer Yuya's questions as best as I could, but a voice interrupted us. It came from all around us, like the low voice back in the darkness. But I recognized this voice. It was Yuzu.

 _"Why did this happen?!"_ She sounded distressed, even near tears. _"What if Yuya never wakes up?"_

"Yuzu!" Yuya exclaimed.

They then heard another voice, one I didn't recognize, but Yuya identified it for me. "Mom!"

 _"Just like when he woke up when he fought against Strong Ishijima, he'll definitely wake up again. He'll become even stronger than he was before!"_

I looked back at Yuya, standing as I spoke. "They're waiting for you to wake up," I told him. "You need to go."

Yuya blinked, hesitant, but then sprang to his feet with a determined expression.

"Yeah, but what about you?" he demanded. "You need to wake up too, and keep fighting! To defeat Fusion… And save Ruri!"

I was startled by his remark, and stood stunned for a moment. Who would help find Ruri now? Shun had no one to fight alongside him now. _No._ Yuya would help him—I believed in him. Yuya would realize Shun's reason for fighting, and he would help him somehow.

With a chuckle, I thought of Shun seeing Yuzu for the first time and insisting so much on her being Ruri that I had to knock him unconscious to keep him from revealing anything to Sora, who I didn't trust even then. Shun. I'll bet he would come to treat Yuya similar to how he treated me. Shun always brought out my smile and a deeper personality in me similar to Yuya's. If Shun didn't treat Yuya like me for our similar personalities, it would be for our identical faces.

I met Yuya's gaze and managed a smile.

"You'll be the one to defeat Fusion, Yuya," I assured. "And Shun will save Ruri. I…I know he will. Maybe with your help." I made my smile as convincing as I could. "I'll be fine. I'm the one who needs to be asleep, not you. Now go. Your friends need you."

Yuya hesitated for a moment, but then nodded, smiling back at me. "Thanks, Yuto. I'm glad you're okay. When you gave me Dark Rebellion and disappeared… I wished for you to survive. I wanted to keep you safe any way I could."

Yuya closed his eyes, and I assumed he was willing himself to awaken. He was enveloped by a soft white light. It masked him entirely and then faded, leaving Yuya gone.

I dropped to my knees the moment I was alone. The tears I had held back through my smiles escapes my eyes and slid down my cheeks. I looked to the sky, my fears crashing over me. _Shun_. I had left my comrade alone, after all we'd been through, and we hadn't left on the best terms—we were still amidst an argument over whether to fight others in Standard, and I had been chiding him on his insistence to fight while I believed in not causing conflicts. I had always kept him from acting recklessly and fighting unnecessary battles. Would he be okay without me? And would he be able to eventually find Ruri?

 _Ruri_.

I closed my eyes and thought of the way she would always look back over her shoulder while walking beside Shun with a bright smile toward me. I know both Shun and I wished we could take her place. Though she too had been hardened by war, her real self was optimistic, loving, and peaceful. She was a light among the darkness of war. I yearned to keep searching for her and return her home.

Who—or what—had that voice belonged to back in the darkness? Would it follow me here? Why had Yuya been here, with me, when he was clearly alive and I was…dead?

As I thought of Yuya, my head started to ache. I pressed a hand to it and winced as the pain grew stronger. I gasped as my vision began to cloud over.

 _What's happening to me?!_

My eyesight became nothing but white, and I closed my eyes tightly in an attempt to fight it. But a feeling of vertigo clutched me, like the falling feeling that sometimes accompanies falling asleep. It felt like I was tumbling through air, and I couldn't tell if my feet were even on the ground anymore. Panicking, I opened my eyes. They took a moment to adjust, along with my hearing. When my eyesight sharpened, I saw that I was no longer in the same place.

I was in a bedroom I'd never seen before, standing beside a desk. To my surprise, I was holding a card in hand and looking down at it. It was Dark Rebellion XYZ Dragon.

No. It couldn't be. I had given him to Yuya. There was only one copy of the card created in Heartland.

I tried to move my head and look at my surroundings, my body, out the window, anything. But I was paralyzed. I couldn't move anything, not even my eyes. All I could see was my arm and hand holding Dark Rebellion. But I wore long sleeves, white with green check. A shirt I'd never seen before. Then I realized that I couldn't _feel_ anything. I couldn't feel the card I was holding. I couldn't feel the floor underneath me. I couldn't feel any sensation at all through my body. But I could feel emotion, and right now I was scared and confused.

Just like earlier with Yuya, I heard a voice around me—from behind me. It was Yuzu again.

"Why do you have Yuto's card, Yuya?"

 _Yuya?_ Was Yuzu seeing me as Yuya right now? It was understandable if she was; she wasn't the only one who got us mixed up. But then I heard another voice—this time Yuya's, and it sounded extremely close to me, even right in front of me.

"He was…protecting me… I don't remember anything after that. Or what happened to Yuto."

Did Yuya not remember meeting me in that place and the conversation we had? Then again, his body had been unconscious, and I guess he had only been there in spirit. Maybe that meeting had been like a dream to him—one he had forgotten when he had awakened.

It was then that I realized they were both talking about _me_. As if I wasn't there.

"But…" Yuya went on. "Why would he give me this card?! Yuto told me to make people smile with dueling. And then gave me this card… Why would he do that?!"

"Yuya…"

"I don't get it! And not just Yuto!"

If I had had control of my body, I would have flinched as I brought my palm to my face and covered my eyes. Because I didn't _tell_ myself to do that. And I didn't feel the hand on my face, nor did I tell my eyes to close.

"Who the heck is Yugo?! Why do they have the same face as me?!"

I didn't choose to whirl around to stare at Yuzu in front of me either, but it happened as Yuya yelled the last line that I heard.

It was then that I realized what was really happening. Yuya's voice sounded so close to me because it was _coming_ from me. No…not coming from me. I was viewing things through his eyes. In his body. That's why I didn't feel anything physically, but saw everything. That's why I was closing my eyes and moving without meaning to. It wasn't me. These actions were _Yuya's_.

This had to be a dream. I couldn't be inside him. I struggled and tried to close the eyes I was looking through, but it had no effect on Yuya. My voice was gone, but I could still think. So I willed myself to go back to where I had been before. _Wake up! This isn't happening—it has to be a dream!_

Everything flashed white again, and suddenly I was standing back on the strange platform I had been at before that vision. I stared down at myself, holding out my hand to inspect it, tapping my foot, running my hand through my hair, all to convince myself that I was me, back in my body again.

I didn't know what that vision had been or how it had happened. But I was even more confused now than I had been before. I didn't know if I could will myself into another vision like that again, but for now I didn't want to try—I wanted to focus on figuring out what had happened already.

And the only way that I could find answers in my own skin was by exploring where I was now.

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 **So Yuto saw things through Yuya's eyes... How Yuto exists inside Yuya isn't explained in the show, so I took some freedom with it. At this time, Yuto can't feel anything through Yuya's body, but as they become closer (and as Yuya becomes aware of Yuto inside him) Yuto will have more feeling and control over when he can do this, plus the ability to appear as a spirit beside Yuya even while Yuya can't see him.**

 **I don't really like this chapter... And I may alter it within two days just a bit. It's a filler chapter, but still, I hope you can enjoy the unique twist of it. Please review! Love you guys!**


	3. Inside His Heart

**Hey, readers! Sorry it took me so long to upload. To make up for it, I present you with: two chapters posted in one week! :D**

 **This is just a short drabble chapter right before the Kachidoki duel! So you'll see that in the next chapter!**

 **Please review! :) I'd like to thank all my guest readers & reviewers who I can't message back! You all have such kind words toward my writing, and it really pushes me on! Thank you all so much for your support. Enjoy this chapter!**

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I stepped away from the center of the platform where Yuya had lain and looked down at what I hadn't yet been able to observe. There were multiple images near the center in smaller circles. While the body of the platform was faced with stain glass, these images were crisp and smooth, like oil paintings.

The center image was a side profile of Yuya to his mid-arm, eyes open and gazing skyward. He wore his typical red shirt, pendulum necklace, goggles, and his jacket thrown over his shoulders like a cape. Set over his jacket was a larger close-up of his pendulum.

I looked past the center image. Four other paintings were at each corner of Yuya's image, and one above. The one above was a head-and-shoulders image of his father—I knew it. I could just _feel_ that it was Yuya's father.

The image above and to the left of Yuya's was of Yugo, the Pawn of Fusion. It showed him sitting on his motorcycle, holding his Clear Wing Synchro Dragon card up near his face. One of his eyes was normal—the other, nothing but a crystal blue glow. Hate crashed over me. It was the same way his eyes had looked when he had dueled and killed me, in his destructive and determined state. I hated him—him and all of the Fusion dimension.

I turned to look at the lower left circle from Yuya's image. It depicted a frontal view of a young man I'd never seen before, with wild magenta and purple hair and a purple cape flowing behind his shoulders. But like Yugo, he too had the same face as Yuya.

To the lower right of the center image was one of Yuzu, to my surprise. She was smiling brightly and holding up a paper fan near her chest. I found my gaze lingering on her. She looked like and reminded me so much of Ruri.

Lastly, I looked to the upper right of Yuya's center image. It was a circle with an image of me. My right hand was outstretched and my mouth open in calling a monster attack. My cloak flared out behind me. I looked determined.

Yuya's father, Yuzu, and myself were all close to Yuya. Yuya was strongly connected with each of the people in these paintings—even Yugo and the unknown young man, since we all shared the same face. The mural, the color scheme of the platform I was standing on—it all appeared to revolve around Yuya. Additionally, I had stumbled into this place while Yuya had already been here as his body was unconscious.

I stepped away from the paintings and slowly walked the entire circumference of the platform. The stained glass shards making up the face were predominantly light orange, red, and green, with flecks of crystal blue scattered within. It was the same color of blue as Yuya's pendulum. Strangely, it was also the same color of the light I had faded into as I had died.

What was this place, where Yuya's personage could still interact with me while he was physically unable to?

As I looked back to his image on this platform, it hit me. I felt my eyes widen and my breath vanish in shock.

I was inside his heart.

This platform was a reflection of his spirit—the colors, the people he was connected to, the ability to hear the voices of those close to him from this place. It was the place his spirit rested—presumably the heart.

 _I'm inside Yuya_.

I thought I had died, and I had. Yet in my last moments of living, I had looked in Yuya's eyes and wished I could survive—for Shun, for Ruri, for the fight against Academia, for Yuya. And I recalled what Yuya had told me in our meeting here. _"_ _I wished for you to survive. I wanted to keep you safe any way I could."_ I was still alive in spirit. Something, maybe our similar wishes, had taken me into Yuya's heart. Maybe it was his pendulum; I wondered if it was a magical object. If Yuzu had one, Yuya could as well.

 _Does Yuya know that I'm here?_

I didn't know how to communicate with him, and I now yearned to speak with him.

 _Will my spirit…influence his?_

I had to talk to him. The only way I could get close enough to him for that chance was by seeing things through his eyes again. It had been an accident last time, and I had hated it…but I would do anything to speak to him now. I wasn't sure if Yuya remembered our meeting here in his heart, but I wanted him to know I was here, so he wouldn't be alarmed if he discovered it on his own later.

I wondered if he had felt me when I had seen things through his eyes earlier. He hadn't seemed to react to it. He wouldn't mind if I tried it again.

As I thought of Yuya, I heard a voice echoing overhead, just like Yuya and I had heard Yuzu's earlier. It was a voice I didn't recognize. _"_ _Up until now, you've lived your life strolling along a bright path without a single shadow falling over it."_

Then came Yuya. _"_ _What are you talking about?!"_

 _"_ _I walked only a pitch-black path of darkness. I will not lose to someone like you! I will attain victory!"_

Yuya must have been dueling. I heard the unknown voice again. _"_ _The wind of victory only blows for those who have seen true darkness!"_

 _"_ _I won't give up!"_ Yuya screamed in reply.

I admit the unknown voice's declarations angered me. He thinks _he_ had walked through darkness? He had no idea what I had been through—what Shun and Ruri had been through too. And victory didn't always blow for those who have seen darkness. Heartland saw plenty of darkness—but we were nearly desolate now because of Academia, and they were sure to strike again soon to move in and fully take the town as their own.

I doubted this man knew true darkness—not even the half of it. People wallow in their own problems, yet they are ignorant to the greater things going on outside themselves and outside their world. I had lived through a piece of hell outside their world that they are oblivious to.

I was angry now. I willed myself to go to Yuya. He couldn't give up; I would be there to encourage him, even if he couldn't see me. My vision glazed over, and my consciousness started to drift. Then I heard the voice of Yuya's opponent again as I fell again into that feeling of vertigo. He was speaking to Yuya.

 _"_ _Your own darkness will be upon you soon."_ What was he talking about? I wanting to know what was happening to Yuya, but hearing this man's voice made me hold onto my consciousness.

 _"_ _Fall into the pitch-black darkness."_


	4. Pitch-Black Darkness

**This whole fanfic is me trying to add more depth to an already deep character that hasn't reached his full potential or depth yet. I'm doing my best to accurately portray Yuto as I understand him.**

 **It actually took me forever to write this one. I wrote it all and didn't like the first explanation I had of why the term "pitch-black darkness" drove Yuya into berserk mode. So I pretty much rewrote the whole chapter. I don't know why, but it JUST dawned on me that it's the same term Yuto uses in his Dark Rebellion chant, so no wonder he awakened. I am a blonde.**

 **Anyway, here you go, guys! I hope you all enjoy it, since this was a long-awaited chapter! Please review! Love you guys!**

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My eyesight still blurring in my attempt to flee to Yuya, I recited a chant I knew by heart in a whisper. "Fangs of pitch-black darkness… Rise up against the foolish oppression…"

For a brief second, I felt pain that wasn't mine as I began connecting with Yuya. My limbs ached. Some areas of my arms and back felt bruised, and my shoulder felt wrenched. My chin ached, like I had fallen and hit it against the ground. My side throbbed, like someone had rammed into me there. My right wrist especially hurt, like great pressure had been applied there. This was Yuya's pain.

As well as feeling his pain, Yuya's knowledge of the duel ran into my mind: Kachidoki Isao was a martial arts duelist who harmed his opponents in order to physically weaken them and win. He especially fought against his opponent getting action cards. He had used a trap card that allowed his monster 100 extra attack points per magic card sent to the graveyard in that turn after its activation. He had hurt Yuya over and over in an attempt to get all the action cards he could. Yuya had gotten an action card just in time to keep him alive in the duel—but he only had 100 life points.

I was feeling his pain and gracing his understanding without even seeing things through his eyes and being in his body yet. My connection with him this time was stronger than last time—I'm sure because this time I was purposely reaching out to be with him rather than it being an accident. I wondered if it would grow even stronger in the future—and if Yuya would someday be able to interact with me.

Yuya's opponent… He was just like the duel soldiers of Academia. Using dueling as a tool for conflict, desiring to harm others… I wouldn't allow it. Heartland believed in duels being fun and peaceful. The citizens had all been so taken aback by Academia using duels for war because the idea was so wrong to us. Knowing that Kachidoki was injuring Yuya and doing anything to win was no different than Fusion's tactics.

I couldn't stand the thought of Yuya being harmed by him. I had sacrificed myself to keep Yuya alive. I now felt a sort of obligation to keep him as safe as possible.

 _I've already fallen into pitch-black darkness before_ , I thought in response to Kachidoki's command. _You don't know the half of it._

It was a pet peeve of mine—I got bitter when someone complained about how hard they've had it and I _know_ I've had it much harder. Externally, I generally treat them kindly and sympathize anyway, acting against the voice in my head because I know that all problems are hard on individuals in differing ways and that problems aren't always necessarily comparable. But whatever his past struggles, Kachidoki was greatly harming Yuya. If someone hurts a person I'm close to, I won't be a peacemaker with them—I'll treat them how they treated my loved one. I would do the same to Kachidoki. I thirsted to even more because his actions reminded me of the soldiers of Fusion.

It was just a coincidence that Kachidoki stated words that for me were closely tied to Dark Rebellion. But in my anger and my desire to fiercely protect Yuya, I wanted to entertain his words. _I've already fallen into pitch-black darkness. It destroyed my homeland. I can give you a taste of what I think of people like you—you and Academia. It's your turn to fall into pitch-black darkness, at Dark Rebellion's hands._

It's what he deserved for hurting someone close to me.

But apart from my hatred toward Kachidoki, I felt something else swell inside my soul. A searing pain slashed through my heart, and I screamed. It faded to growls as I tried to hold it back, shutting my eyes tightly against the pain in my heart and my head. One painful throb racked my entire body, and my eyes snapped open as I gasped for breath.

The platform beneath my feet—the station of Yuya's heart—had vanished. I stood again in an area like where I had first appeared after my death, with the low, demonic voice. Everything was a deep purple, with no distinguishable features anywhere. But I felt like something was watching me, burning into me and making my skin crawl. It was the same feeling I had had in the area containing the low voice.

I looked to my left to see Yuya suddenly standing a few feet away, gazing in the other direction. He gasped and spun to look at me, and I stared back. I wanted to smile at him, but I couldn't manage it through the pain. I also realized we could be in potential danger. I had no idea what the _thing_ was that was watching us, but I was sure it was best not to find out. Aside from that, Yuya's eyes held the same pain and confusion that I was feeling, and I could tell he felt it too.

I wanted to comfort him, so I outstretched an arm. To my surprise, he did at the same time, as if my actions were controlling his. I could tell we both wanted to speak, but before we could, I felt warmth spread through my hand. It felt like Yuya's fingers, mind, and face were making contact with mine, but we hadn't moved any closer. Then I felt Yuya's body—my skin in his skin, me seeing things through his eyes. I felt my consciousness touch his, filling my head with warmth and invigorating me.

We now were staring at Kachidoki Isao across the action field. In that moment, I knew a lot of things that I shouldn't have. By having touched Yuya's mind, I knew exactly what cards were in Yuya's hand and extra deck. I knew Yuya's opponent as well as Yuya did and the effect of his monster. I thought to myself of what move Yuya needed to make next. He needed to clear the monsters in his Pendulum Zone and set a new scale to levels 3 and 5. Then he could summon two level 4 monsters to the field, and summon the card I had given him: Dark Rebellion, which would be able to desolate Kachidoki's ace monster and life points. Dark Rebellion and I would destroy everything.

Yuya seemed to be thinking the same thing as he began his last turn.

 _Destroy everything_. A part of me knew that those words didn't seem like my own thoughts. They felt so foreign, like they had been planted there. I don't remember much from when I dueled Yugo in my crazed state. Yuya had broken me out of it fairly quickly. But I was able to recognize that right now, I felt the same as I had then—angry, blind, and vengeful. The regular me wouldn't want to fight and destroy, but do as little damage as possible in solving the problem. But these thoughts filled me with hate and purpose. I accepted the thoughts and emotions. Kachidoki deserved it for dueling so cruel. He was acting against everything I believed in about dueling, and he had harmed Yuya.

 _Let's end this. With my Dark Rebellion XYZ Dragon…I will destroy you…and everything._

"My turn, draw!" I could hear Yuya's voice as clearly as if it was my own, and it sounded deeper and less lively than usual. It now had a tone that sounded almost between that of our own voices.

"I activate the Action Magic: Mad Hurricane. This card returns all cards on the field to my deck." A strong wind rushed around us, blowing away the monsters in Yuya's Pendulum Zone and making the pillars of light around them disappear.

"I, using Entermate Fliptoad and Entermate Cheermole, set the Pendulum Scale. With this, I'm able to simultaneously summon multiple Level 4 monsters." Yuya played his cards in the same way I had been thinking.

In this state, I still couldn't feel sensation through Yuya's limbs, but I knew some of the things in his mind. I knew we felt the same feeling of detachment as the other, and I wondered if he was going through the same thoughts and emotions that I currently was. For some reason, I understood Pendulum summoning as if I had discovered it myself, and I knew the monster effect of Kachidoki's monster like I had been the one dueling him instead of Yuya.

"Swing, pendulum of my soul. Draw an arc of light across the ether! Pendulum Summon! Come forth, my monster servants!" Beams of light flew down from above Yuya, and I watched two monsters appear on our side of the field. "From the Extra Deck, Entermate Cameldown and Entermate Silver Claw!"

Two level four monsters. Yuya had known and performed exactly what I had been thinking.

"With the level four Entermate Cameldown and Entermate Silver Claw, I construct the Overlay Network!"

I mentally recited the chant I used when summoning Dark Rebellion, and Yuya stated it in unison with my thoughts at the same time.

"Fangs of pitch-black darkness…rise up against the foolish oppression! Descend now! XYZ Summon!" Dark Rebellion rose from the swirling purple and gold nova before Yuya's feet, its essence going through Yuya's body before fully materializing and standing tall behind Yuya. It spread it wings and raised its head with a sharp battle cry.

 _You know what to do, Yuya._ And he did, I'm sure in the same way that I understood how to Pendulum Summon. It's like our minds were touching each other's, and our thoughts were reaching across and mirroring each other's.

"I activate Dark Rebellion XYZ Dragon's monster effect!" Yuya yelled. He lifted an arm to signal Dark Rebellion to action. "By using one overlay unit, it can halve the attack of an opponent's level five or higher monster until the end of the turn, and increase its own attack by that amount! Treason Discharge!" Dark Rebellion's metallic wings split apart to grow even larger, seeping purple lightning that thrust itself at the opposing monster like a whip.

Yuya used the remaining Overlay Unit to raise Dark Rebellion's attack to 5200 and declared an attack. Kachidoki panicked and attempted to defend himself.

"Idaten's monster effect activates! If it battles a monster with a lower level, that monster's attack becomes zero!"

I smirked, and to my surprise, it presented itself on Yuya's face. I gazed at Kachidoki, amused by his ignorance towards how XYZ monsters functioned. I said, "XYZ monsters do not possess levels. Therefore, the effect is negated."

Before now, I hadn't been able to affect Yuya's body, but both the smirk and these words came from me. I heard my statement in my own voice, though I wasn't certain it sounded that way to Yuya and the audience. It was an oddly satisfying feeling, knowing that I could affect Yuya's body and actions. Maybe he could finally realize I was here with him.

"What?!" Kachidoki stammered. "If they don't possess Levels, then isn't their level zero?!"

I was further amused by that statement. Yuya lifted his arm just how I would have and imagined myself doing, and he commanded my monster in the same way I always did. "Revolt of the Lightning, Disobey!"

Kachidoki screamed as his life points fell to zero. He was flung back onto the ground from the shockwaves of our monsters battling. Suddenly a thought crossed my mind: _I don't want to hurt anyone._

For a few moments, I could feel Yuya's body. A burning in his eyes suddenly died, and his hair fell into its regular fashion. Still touching his mind, I could sense his confusion, like he had been in a trance. He was still for a few heartbeats, then saw Kachidoki lying across the court from us. He ran over to his opponent, screaming his name in concern.

As he ran, it felt like a bandage had been quickly torn off my skin. I stood where Yuya had been, having not moved, silent as I felt the separation from him. I glanced down at myself. I was surrounded by a soft white glow, and I was transparent. I held up my hand and looked right through my palm down to the floor under my feet.

I was an apparition. Outside Yuya's heart, but not trapped within his limbs either. I had wanted this, but it had been an accident; I hadn't discovered it, just stumbled upon it. And it felt…cold. Even though I had wanted this, it almost felt like a rift had been torn between myself and Yuya. I certainly didn't enjoy being confined to his body, but being apart from him felt wrong. Like I had somehow betrayed him and I was now separated from him because of it.

I watched Yuya ask if Kachidoki was okay, and I saw Kachidoki slap Yuya's hands away with such force that I heard it.

Why did Yuya seem so stunned by his surroundings? Had he forgotten what we had _just_ done, together? How could he be so confused by his victory?

Maybe I had influenced his actions more than I had perceived.

* * *

 **Next chapter: Yuto desiring to comfort Yuya and fully pull him out of his trance, and helping Yuya without the latter knowing he was even receiving help. Might have another episode mixed into that chapter; I haven't figured it out yet. But starting next chapter, Yuto is going to start gracing Yuya's mind and understanding his thoughts more often, even if Yuya is unaware of it. :) That'll be fun to write. Let me know how I'm doing, guys!**


	5. Cold

**Sorry, guys. I've been dealing with a terrible head and throat cold, and it's made it even harder for me to write. This chapter may reflect the low-functionality of my brain. Sorry if it seems scattered.**

 **I'm currently writing the next part to this, when Yuto follows Yuya back to his house and offers him some unseen and unknown (but effective) comfort there. That's next chapter!**

 **After Yuya's duel with Kachidoki, the show picks up the next day of the tournament, when Yuzu duels Naname. This chapter takes place in the moments after Yuya's victory in episode 39 and later that night, off-canon for a while, and then rolling into episode 40. Enjoy, and please review! :)**

* * *

The sound of Kachidoki slapping Yuya's hand away actually made me flinch. But after recovering, I still stood frozen a few feet away from Yuya, in a daze myself. I wanted to rush to Yuya and speak with him, comfort him, apologize for influencing him. But I couldn't. I was...a ghost.

I had already looked down at myself, but I lifted my right arm again to stare at it. I was transparent. I could easily see through myself down to the ground below my feet. I'm sure in the easier days, before I had to grow up and I was still a child like I should be, I had thought it would be cool to be a ghost after I died, so I could still do things and interact with people. Those were careless thoughts without much weight to them. Kids don't think seriously about death if it's never touched those they care about. They don't realize the full gravity of it. And staring down at my ghostly arm, I doubt I could still do things and interact with people.

Even if Yuya couldn't hear me, even if I couldn't touch him, I couldn't give up. I had sacrificed myself for him. I needed to help him. He could possibly be deeply involved in the interdimensional war, at the least a victim when Fusion decided to attack Standard. I wanted to tell him everything I knew about Academia. I wanted to tell him about Shun, and that he wasn't a bad guy, just desperate. I wanted to tell him of Heartland. I don't even know what else I wanted to tell him. I just know that I wanted to speak with him. Yuya was my last connection to the living world. I was bound to him for reasons I didn't know. I guess I thought I could still feel alive as long as I was with Yuya…and through him, I could still live.

I looked on as Kachidoki bowed to the silent stadium crowd. He then quickly left the center court, clearly rattled but trying not to appear so. Yuya still stood where he had tried to help Kachidoki to his feet.

The voice of the championship's lead announcer coming from the LDS audio system tore through the silence. Even he sounded taken aback from the duel. "And with that… That concludes today's event! The final duel for today is over. The Miami Championship will resume tomorrow as scheduled!"

The audio cut off sharply after the announcement, clearly turned off for the evening. I observed the stands as the tv screens turned off in quick succession. Some spectators in the audience hurriedly got to their feet and brushed by others to get home and out of the rain. Others sat in the stands, turning to those around them to exchange hushed conversations.

This wasn't right. In Heartland, a day of attending the duel carnivals there ended brightly, with eager smiles as visitors excitedly relayed the greatest moments of that day's duels. Not with confused expressions and whispers. It's like the audience wondered if Yuya was okay. I had no doubts he had shown them his best entertainment in his previous duels. Our complete lack of entertainment in our last duel must have shocked them just as it had shocked us.

My gaze flicked to a certain group of children and a middle aged man. They got to their feet and rushed out of their seating, turning to come toward the duel arena Yuya and I were in while fighting their way past swarms of people heading varying directions. I felt a flicker of hope when I saw Yuzu amidst them and realized that was Yuya's comrades at You Show Duel School. If I couldn't reach out to Yuya and comfort him, Yuzu would.

I started walking over to Yuya and shivered at the first step. I could feel the floor and the cold air, ironic since I was now no more than an apparition. My shoes felt solid against the floor, but I knew they weren't. I wondered if I would be able to touch things or if it was just an illusion. I reached Yuya's side and hesitated, glancing sideways at him and noticing how stiff his posture was and how empty his gaze looked. Uncertain, I slowly lifted my arm toward his back and moved my hand toward his shoulder. I gently curled my fingers against his jacket and cupped his shoulder in my hand.

I felt warmth spread through my fingers and run up my arm. I gasped as I saw my hand and arm gradually turn less transparent in just a few moments. I was still transparent, but much less than before. I didn't feel cold like I had earlier. Touching Yuya made me feel whole.

Yuya's head snapped up, and he tipped his head to glance to his shoulder—and my hand. I caught my breath. Could he see me?

His gaze flashed to meet mine. His eyes were wide, both startled and curious as he studied the space where I stood. In that moment, I felt even more alive.

Yuya then looked away.

My heart sank. _He looked right through me. He still doesn't know I'm here._

"Yuya!"

Yuya growled in frustration. I leaned forward to look at his face. Anger crossed his brow, but I noticed a collection of tears pooling at his lower eyelids. He lifted his hands to his head and pulled his goggles over his eyes. The action was smooth, as if he had done it many times before.

Yuzu stopped beside Yuya, panting lightly to catch her breath. Yuya turned to face her, his head bent and his eyes now hidden from sight.

"Yuya… Are you alright?" Yuzu's face was etched with concern.

The rest of You Show Duel School stopped beside Yuzu a moment later. How I knew who they were, I can't explain. But I'm sure connecting with Yuya's body and mind during the duel was the reason. Maybe I would know the same things Yuya did as I was faced with them.

"Yuya, you…seemed like a different person," Futoshi said slowly.

"I've never seen you XYZ summon before," Tatsuya added.

"What happened, big brother?" Ayu asked softly.

"Well… At least Yuya won, right?" Yuzu's father stated, feigning a smile but wearing an otherwise conflicted expression.

Gogenzaka was visibly angry. "What happened to you dueling your way and making Kachidoki smile, Yuya?!"

Yuya flinched at Gogenzaka's words. I was startled as I heard Yuya's voice echo in my mind, but he hadn't said anything. It was his thoughts.

 _"Yuto told me to make people smile with my duels. I don't know exactly what he wanted to tell me, but… I'll do the dueling that I believe in! Because I believe that will answer to Yuto's expectations of me!"_

It was something Yuya had said earlier. From what Gogenzaka said, I could infer it had been before our duel with Kachidoki.

 _Yuya said that before his duel?_ I felt even more guilty than before. _He wanted to make Kachidoki smile. He was trying to do what I told him, and I…we…_

Yuya looked away from his friends, avoiding their worried gazes. His teeth were clenched. "I don't want to talk about it." He hesitated, then turned his back to them. His voice took on a darker tone. "Just leave me alone. I'll see you all tomorrow."

Yuya walked toward the opposite side of the duel arena, ducking his head to stare at the ground. With his eyes hidden and his brow level, there was no expression to read. But I knew he was fighting back tears and fighting to hide it.

"H-hey!" Yuzu's eyes narrowed in anger. "Don't you walk away from—"

Her father set a hand on her shoulder, silencing her. She turned on him, but he spoke first.

"He needs some time alone, Yuzu. He'll be okay."

She watched Yuya go with a worried frown. It was the same look Ruri would give me when I insisted I was alright and she knew I wasn't.

I left Yuzu and the others standing there and followed after Yuya.

I hurried after Yuya. He was walking quicker than I had expected him to. I stepped through the arena's specified entrance for competitors and broke into a hallway beneath the bleachers that led outside LDS's perimeter. Spectators that had been slow to leave all walked the same direction on their ways home.

I groaned at the sight of the crowd. I hate crowds. Bad things always happen to crowds, when people are bunched together. They're a large, easy target. Just like how the crowds of people in Heartland's central square were the first to be taken out by Fusion. I clenched my teeth and stepped into the hallway.

I did my best to avoid the people around me. I weaved through the crowd, scanning the hall for Yuya. When a young girl ran my way to retrace her steps to her mother who had fallen behind, I didn't have time to react.

I stopped in my tracks in time for her to run into me. But we didn't collide. Smiling and with a laugh, she ran right through me. I briefly felt cold touch my torso as she passed. I watched as my essence stirred slightly like smoke disturbed by a wind. The area she passed through gleamed silver. As soon as she was gone, the cold faded, and my form recovered to normal. My heart raced. My breaths turned quick as I panicked.

Another person passed right through me. Then another. Then the girl again, this time accompanied by her mother. Each time, the cold became more and more uncomfortable, and I swayed as my head spun. Instinctively avoiding the people in the crowd… Why had I bothered? I was a ghost. They didn't know I was there. There was no way I could collide with them. I would pass right through. There was no reason to meander around them.

I shook my head to hold back my tears. I don't know exactly why I was crying. I just knew I was afraid, and struggling to accept that I was now a _ghost_. I wanted out of here. I needed to get to Yuya. I would be safe there. I would feel better.

I closed my eyes and started running. I didn't want to look. I felt it each time I passed through someone. My body burned from the contact, but I ignored it. I just ran, and only when I could feel the cold of outside did I open my eyes.

It was dark from the heavy rainclouds looming in the sky, and there was a chill in the air. I quickly stepped away from where I had exited the hall and looked further ahead on the sidewalk. Yuya was walking that way home.

The sidewalk in that direction was mostly empty, and I had no problem stepping around passerby to get to Yuya. Once I was at his side, I slowed my pace to match his. He still wore his goggles, and his head was bent, with his hands in his pockets.

"Why did I hurt him… Why did I duel like that?" Yuya was talking aloud to himself. "Yuto told me to make people smile with my duels, and…I failed him."

I sighed. "Yuya… It was my fault."

Yuya didn't hear me. I sighed. I had hoped that with our connection in that duel, we would remain connected afterward, and I could speak with him. _How long will it be until Yuya recognizes that I'm here?_

I couldn't comfort him. I couldn't speak to him. Instead, I hesitantly set my hand on his shoulder again and whispered, "You didn't fail me, Yuya."

Yuya's head snapped up in obvious surprise. Whether at my touch or because he somehow heard me, I wasn't sure. He whirled around, looking around himself to see no one there.

After a few seconds, he continued toward his home, tense and obviously on edge. I mentally scolded myself. _Don't do that again. You're only scaring him._

I glanced down at my ghostly self and fought back my own fear. It was unnerving to see myself like this, and I was tired of it. Praying it would work, I willed myself to return to Yuya. _Let me go back to Yuya._ My eyelids grew heavy, and I closed them, falling into vertigo but never hitting the ground.


	6. AN - Very important, PLEASE READ!

It's due time for an author's note, don't you think? I haven't updated this in so long. So, explanation.

 **(Please read this all the way through. I need some readers advice!)**

I've been dealing with depression since October. It started out mild, but worsened over time, and around late December it was at the point of severe. It gradually took away my concentration, passions, motivations, and energy, and sadly, my love and inspiration for writing was the first to go.

No matter how hard I tried working on this story, I just couldn't get the words out right. My writing sounded flat and emotionless, I guess just like how I was feeling. So I put it on hold.

But! I'm starting to feel better now-slowly. I got on medication in February, but it didn't start working until now because the dosage was so low. Even now I need to up it a few notches. But gradually, my ability and inspiration to write is returning. I'm cultivating that by writing a little each day. **And I'm going to continue this story.**

To get my mind and heart back into this fanfic, I'm starting from the beginning and rereading and revising. That's just what I have to do when I've been away from something for too long—take a refresher of sorts.

I'm going to revise each chapter on here and make some minor to not-so-minor changes, so I'm sorry, but you guys might have to take a refresher too and reread the chapters!

 **Please tell me in a review!** I'm thinking of changing the tense in this story. First-person is hard for me to write—mostly because I have to write in a voice that isn't my own, you know? I recently realized I love writing in third-person present tense, like "he asks." I seem to have a knack for it. SO TELL ME! What do you think of me changing the tense?

Also, should I take the story down and repost it once I have the chapters revised, or leave it on here and gradually revise chapter-by-chapter? Thank you for your help!

Lastly, thank you all for being so patient and keeping/adding this story onto your favorites and updates list! It really means the world to me. I'm happy this fanfic has been such a hit so far, and I'm eager to please you all with future chapters. I love all of you devoted readers who review and give my mediocre-at-best writing all the love that you have. This story would be nothing without you guys! :) Thank you all!


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